It’s a matchup that’s been in the making for twenty one years.

The two titans of NBA hoops returning to the setting where they best belong.

Thirty NBA championships and fourty nine Finals appearances between the two of them.

These clubs have enough glorious history to each be able to create an entire team of Hall of Famers, bench and coaches included. Suffice to say that as great as this season’s teams are that only KG and Kobe would have a crack to be on an all time Celtic or Laker roster.

More than likely this series will set some sort of record for “most off court camera shots of former Celtic/Laker greats”.(or ghosts, as some would call them)

OK, so we’re not going to see West, Baylor, or Magic go up against Havlicek, Russell, or Bird. There won’t be seven future Hall of Famers in the respective starting lineups as there were in the multiple 80’s Finals appearances. But make no mistake this has to be the most anticipated Finals since…..who knows…Bulls/Lakers ‘91 maybe when the two MJ’s got together for a Finals matchup that clearly ascended Michael to the throne of NBA basketball, and for all intents and purposes was the end of Magic’s NBA career(Unwitting as it may have seemed at the time).

The Celtics were able to get here thanks to the (re)emergence of two things they had taken for granted throughout the season. The ability to win on the road and the rediscovery of Ray Allen’s shooting touch, as both had completely disappeared during the first two rounds as “Jesus Shuttlesworth” struggled in the seven game sets with the Hawks and Cavs. In the Conference Final series, Boston was able to take two from the Pistons in the Palace and Allen’s scoring average went up three points from the previous two rounds as he got his long distance groove back.

The Lakers have had the easiest time of in getting this far losing just three games in their playoff run and dispatching the defending champion Spurs in a surprising five games. Kobe Bryant has emerged as the frontrunner as the playoff MVP in averaging twenty eight points per game. Pau Gasol must have read my Conference Final preview as a he did a more than good enough job against the Spurs’ big men on both ends of the floor.

Points of interest to watch in the Finals:

Kobe: Impossible to stop. How Boston attempts to slow him down and how Kobe reacts to the inevitable double teams that come his way.

(speaking of Kobe, wasn’t he one foot out the door bitching for a trade when the season started? Just wonderin’.)

Fisher/Rondo matchup: Rondo has a face a respectable PG that isn’t injured and has a history of knocking down shots when necessary. Give Rondo credit though, he’s played well despite a real lack of a backup(ahem….yea you Sam!)

KG: Do me a favor and start taking more shots in the paint. You’re seven feet tall and have height advantage over everyone on the court. Add that to your rep of not really being a clutch performer and we’ve got an American Dirk Nowitzki here. Or is Dirk a European KG??

Bench: Advantage Lakers with Luke Walton and the much despised(by me) Sasha Vujacic. Leon Powe can provide a spark from time to time, and Eddie House would be bigger factor if Doc Rivers would let him be so. Leads me to my last point…..

Coaching: If you had a team in the Finals, who would you pick to be at the bench given the option between Phil Jackson and Doc Rivers?

Hmmm…..lemme see….Phil(9 NBA titles as coach)Jackson…..Doc Rivers…..Phil Jackson….Doc Rivers…..

Coaching won’t be the ultimate factor of course, but a deeper and more rounded team won’t hurt either. Lakers beat Denver in 4, San Antonio in 5, Utah in 6…….

Lakers in 7. TD Banknorth just isn’t the same as the Gahhhhden. Phil Jackson wins his tenth title as a coach tying the mark set by Red Auerbach right on his parquet floor.

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